The Princess's Plan
by Bellaward1105
Summary: Princess Isabella is known as a wise and beautiful woman and a true protector of her kingdom. Out of nowhere, Prince Edward appears. Will a certain plan of hers work or will love get in the way?


_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **_**Ever. (**_**though I wish I do...) Anyway, the plot is a Bellaward1105 original. **_

**A/N: Hello guys! It's been quite a while since I posted any story. My sincerest apologies for not updating in **_**Brought to Life By Love**_** (read it if you haven't!) and I have my own irksome reasons. Anyway, enjoy this story and I hope you find it new and fresh just like my other stories! :D**

**Many thanks to my betas: _Someone aka Me. _and _Edwardsfavoritebrunette _for making this story presentable. They are both more than the best (if that was possible :D), and their comments made me smile and laugh. I heart them... :)  
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The Princess's Plan

"Princess Isabella, His Majesty, King Charleston, would like to have a word with you," Minister Harrison, my father's prime minister informed me.

His stout and healthy visage took up almost half of my door. He and Father were like brothers, and I knew in my heart that Minister Harrison had no impure intentions towards Father or the throne. He would always chuckle whenever he came to my room when I told him the reason for my laughter when I was nine. So now, I wondered why he was unsmiling.

"Is that so, Minister?" I replied softly, biting my bottom lip in vain hopes of concealing my laughter, and also attempting to make the prime minister beam. He realized what I was doing, and his lips finally twitched, but he remained serious.

"Yes, princess. And now, if you follow me, I shall escort you to His Majesty's deliberating room," he answered soberly.

It was my turn to become serious. First, everyone inside this palace knew how I detested being treated like, well, a princess. I wanted them to treat me like they do to any other person; I liked being treated as an equal. So, it was a mystery why Minister Harrison wanted to escort me. Second, the deliberating room was only used for important meetings and talks between officials and Father. Why was I suddenly being taken there?

"It isn't that serious, Princess Isabella," Minister Harrison assured me, for I was being silent for quite a while. "Your father just wanted you to hear the news from him and nobody else," he continued.

"News?" I asked, alarmed. What if it was my mother? She was known for her exploits. She came home every month, stories in hand. She was a very carefree woman, that mother of mine, and even though she spent only a few days here with me and Father, I loved her; I loved everything about her and her free-spiritedness.

"It would be wise if you follow me, princess," Minister Harrison advised.

With shaky hands, I placed the book I was reading on my mattress. Standing up from my bed, I breathed a deep sigh. I smoothed the creases on my white dress, and also did the same with my hair, placing the loose strands behind my ear. I followed Minister Harrison out of the room.

My mind was in a tumult. Different scenarios ran through my mind like wildfire, each of them useless in calming the uneasiness in the hollow of my stomach. I tried to respond to the polite greetings of the people, but my greetings were so poorly said that even a child wouldn't be deceived.

"Your Grace," Tanya acknowledged, as we passed her on the corridor. Her lunch break was probably finished. She immediately went to my side.

"Where are you headed, princess?" my lady's maid questioned.

"Father wanted to talk to me," I said shakily.

Her azure eyes widened and she politely asked, "Are you in trouble?"

"I don't know," I admitted quietly. I turned to Minister Harrison who was waiting for us to finish our discussion. "Can I take Tanya to the deliberating room with me?" I asked uncertainly.

He looked at me for a moment before gazing at Tanya. Then he sighed, and said, "Very well. I think Tanya may come since you two have been friends for quite a while." He smiled slightly, before gesturing for us to follow him.

Tanya smiled brightly at me, and I smiled back. She was really a good friend of mine and would definitely help me if needed.

Minister Harrison motioned for the guards to open the double doors of the deliberating room. I expected the other dukes to be situated at the golden chairs but instead, I only found Father at the head of the table, sipping from a glass of red wine.

"Your Majesty, Princess Isabella with her lady's maid, Tanya," Minister Harrison announced.

Father looked up from his glass and gave a small smile.

It was probably the fact that I was observing my father that I didn't see another person enter the room and bounce over to my still form.

"Isabella, how are you, my dear?" I recognized the voice as my mother's and my heart swelled. I turned around and saw her always-alight umber eyes. I felt my mouth turn into a huge grin.

"Mama," I rejoiced, hugging my mother back. My heart was exploding with the amount of joy it held. All of my worries dissolved and mixed into the air. I was thankful that she was safe. "Ho-How are you here?" came my erroneous question.

Mama laughed blissfully. "Do you mean, 'Why am I here?'" She didn't wait for my reply. Her grip around me tightened, and then she pulled back, grinning. "Your father told me about some news, so I quickly descended Mt. Rainier and traveled straight here," she explained.

"Speaking of the news," the king, or my father, Charleston, interceded in his gruff voice. "I have some for you. Do take your seats."

We did as we were told. I took the seat on Papa's left while Mama took the one on the right. Tanya stayed behind me, as always, and I gestured for her to seat beside me. After looking at the king and queen's eyes to see if it was allowed, – which it was, of course – she took the seat.

Papa cleared his throat and declared, "The messenger from the city of Chicago came to the palace yesterday and informed me that the prince – Prince Edward – wanted to come here tomorrow and court Isabella."

Everyone was silent for a moment, except for Mama who sighed, as if this couldn't be avoided. Then Papa broke the silence.

"At your age, I can allow it, and I am confident that Renée agrees with me. Do you, dear?" He turned to Mama, and she only chuckled, nodding her head yes. "However," he added, and I could feel myself frown. What was problem? "I found some information about their family, and it seems they are having some financial trouble; I am sure you know what I am trying to imply, my daughter."

My frown deepened as I realized the extent of what my father was trying to point out. This... Prince Edward... would probably court me because of his family's bankruptcy. Needless to say, he was just after the money of the kingdom, and everyone knew how I loathed it...

There was Prince Jacoby. He came to the palace one rainy night, seeking a place to stay. He had told us how he was a prince from a far away land, and, like my mother, he was a traveler. I, hungry for more knowledge, had asked him a lot of questions. In the middle of his story, though, I'd caught a mistake. He was telling me about the Sahara, so how come he started talking about white sandy beaches? Didn't he know what Sahara was?

Dawn came, and he went back on his journey. Not a day later, he'd returned and had started courting me. Despite the gnawing feeling in my gut, I agreed to spend a lot of time with him. He had a vivacious character, and I was starting to get more comfortable around him. In my mind, I'd decided that it was Jacoby who I would have to spend the rest of my life with. I had been cheered by the idea.

That was, before she came.

A Queen Leah had come surging through the castle one fine afternoon. She was almost red with fury, and I was just waiting for the steam to come off her ears. She demanded to see Jacoby, and when he had appeared, we all saw the frightened look on his face.

It had appeared that Prince Jacoby was a prodigal son, who chose to spend his days with tons of women in sunny beaches; No wonder he was sunburned. He wanted to marry me so that his parents would take him back. He was going to use the kingdom's money to repay all of his dirty deeds. The nerve...

I had been so livid at that time. I thought I could finally settle in my life, and take the worry out of Papa and Mama's backs about me finding a suitable husband. With that amount of anger, I almost fed him to the crocodiles. After kneeling and pleading – along with his mother – and a request for consideration from my father, I had changed my mind. Instead of becoming the crocodiles' dessert, I sent an order to exile him to the Sahara – in that way, he would finally learn that it was a desert, where no oceans could be spotted.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Tanya's voice.

"Princess, please forget about Prince Jacoby." She stressed the word prince. "He was such a total sham that even put Lucifer to shame. Your mind shouldn't be preoccupied with thoughts of him."

"Tanya, next time, please, do not say bad words," I reminded her.

She giggled, remembering that his name was under our bad words list and nodded vigorously.

"Now, going back to the matter at hand, what are we going to do, your highnesses?" Minister Harrison said.

King Charleston put his right arm over the table and placed his hand over his mustache. "My thoughts right now are these: How can we make sure that this Prince Edward really wants to know my daughter and is not only thinking about the treasures of my land? Next, I am quite afraid for the poor gentleman, Isabella, even though I may not know him yet," Papa confessed.

I arched an eyebrow in bemusement. "How come, Papa?" I inquired.

"Well," he started, not keeping eye contact. "your consequence for -" he stopped abruptly for I screamed, "Don't say bad words!" He gave me a disbelieving look and I just smiled at him innocently. He chuckled quietly and continued, "your consequence the last time intimidated a lot of young men, and to be honest, the number of men who came here lessened."

I laughed lightly. "It's not my fault; it's theirs. Besides, I just wanted to protect myself and the kingdom," I defended.

"The thoughts of a true noble queen," my mother observed. I threw a playful grin her way and faced Papa once more.

"That is, if this Edward is the same as the others; I will not hesitate to do what I must do," I told him honestly.

He sighed in defeat. "I guess it is inevitable then. Now, how are we going to test if his intentions are clear?"

"Well, sire," Minister Harrison interceded. "I know that a lot of Princess Isabella's suitors got interested because of her sheer beauty."

I blushed scarlet from Minister Harrison's words. "My dear minister, they were such flattering words."

"But they were true, princess," Tanya stated. "The fact that you amazed every tutor in the kingdom also counted."

My cheeks turned a shade darker. "Oh hush, Tanya," I murmured. She giggled.

"All right, I can see that my beautiful daughter is so flattered right now – look, her cheeks might never go back to their original color!" Mama chuckled. "Oh, well, let us go back to the topic. To sum up all of your words, every male gets attracted to my daughter, what with her beauty and brains. What are we going to do about it?" she questioned.

"Every man will surely fall for Princess Isabella's beauty and brains," Tanya repeated. "Even if she wasn't a princess..."

At those words, an idea struck my head. If, let us say, I didn't hold any royal position, and I were just a normal eighteen year old woman, would they still want my attention? With that plan, I could surely answer my very own question.

"Isabella?" Papa asked, "What is the matter, darling? You've been quiet."

I turned my head to him, a smile residing on my face. "I just had the best idea, Papa," I replied.

"What is it?" Mama asked eagerly.

I looked at each of their expectant faces before answering, "Mama said that everyone will like me because of my face and wit," – I rolled my eyes at that – "so, I realized, what if I should meet Prince Edward as a normal person rather than being a princess?" I smiled.

"I am not sure that I follow you, Princess," Minister Harrison admitted.

"Neither am I," Tanya said.

"What I mean is, what if I should introduce myself as a normal person to Prince Edward, and we shall, since we all know that they had no idea what I looked like. Therefore, if what you all said was true, that men fall for me easily" – I rolled my eyes heavenward once more – "then Prince Edward can like me as me," I said simply.

"But he was supposed to court a princess remember," Mama retorted, still bemused. "His eye is on you, the princess."

"Ah, I understand," Tanya uttered. "You're trying to get him to like you, Princess, and for you, ranks are not supposed to be a hindrance to this. That is quite difficult, Your Highness."

"It is," I admitted with a bashful smile, "and that is not the end yet. If he fails to even notice me, and the truth will finally be presented to him, then my decision about him will depend on my observations; I shall work unnoticed by him."

"Well, it's your decision, my dear. Although, if you think more, it will be like toying with Prince Edward's heart and mind," Mama said honestly. Papa nodded in approval.

"Mama, in love, there will be no deceit, and no misapprehensions; that is what I believe," I answered politely.

"The only problem in your stratagem is that we do not have someone to pretend for you." Papa pointed out.

"Hmm," I hummed, thinking. "Let us get the girl who inspired me: Tanya."

"What?" came Tanya's astonished reply.

"Oh, you can do it. I have faith in you," I told her. Her eyes glistened and then she nodded her head.

"It is a privilege to serve you in this, Your Highness," Tanya said, her voice filled with emotion.

"Well, do what you must do, Isabella," Papa advised.

"It's settled, then," Minister Harrison said. "Let us start the princess's plan."

...

Later that day, we had everything sorted out. I taught Tanya what she must do and what she must say on such occasions. We already told the rest of the people in the palace of what was going to transpire tomorrow. Rosaline, one of the cooks and my best friend, laughed heartily when I told her of my plans, and quite frankly, almost everyone did.

We had come to a decision that I would be Tanya's cousin, niece of the King and Queen. I was Lady Marie – my chosen name; it was my middle name, as a matter of fact – who had been adopted by the royal family since I was five. At least, I wouldn't have to worry about inventing my hometown or names for my parents.

"Goodnight, Princess Isabella," Tanya said, "I still can't believe what I have agreed to, but I hope that this Prince Edward will be the right one for you; I have a feeling that he is."

"Oh, Tanya," I reprimanded friskily, "stop those frolicsome thoughts of yours and try to concentrate on tomorrow's task."

She chortled and blew the fiery light from the candle. She walked around my bed and went out of the room, a smile on her face.

I snuggled on my pillow. A few hours from now, I shall see if this Prince Edward was worth my plan, or worth feeding to the crocodiles.

...

I woke up at dawn, and I stood up from my four-poster bed. Wrapping my robe to keep my body out of the chills of the morning air, I waited for Tanya to arrive; we had agreed to meet up at my room at sunrise, so we could both dressed up for our parts. I could feel the excitement and nervousness mixed like water and salt, creating a funny feeling inside me.

Minutes passed, and I was about to find Tanya when my door creaked and opened. Tanya appeared and she was muttering words of forgiveness. I just nodded my head.

"Shall we proceed?" I asked her. She nodded in response.

First, she helped me clean up, and then we searched my closet for a suitable dress.

"My dress should be easy since I normally wear plain clothes," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I am starting to feel guilty for not having a lot of extravagant dresses!"

Finally, after what seemed like ages, I found a yellow dress without sleeves that I was sure would look good on Tanya; thank goodness we were the same size.

I helped her put it on, and after that I pulled out my jewelry box, searching for matching accessories for her.

"Your Grace, you do not have to do that. I am sure that the dress itself will do," Tanya persuaded.

"I am sorry, but I really want to lend it to you. Here." I gave her jade earrings, necklace, and ring. "Use those for the act, my dear." Consciously, she put them on in their respective places.

After that, she helped me into my royal blue dress with sleeves that ended just at my elbows. I loved wearing this dress when the weather was good, and according to Madame Allison, our prognosticator, hopefully, it would be sunny today.

I grabbed my book, _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen. It was just recently published, and so far, I was mesmerized by it; I would have to ask Papa if I could meet Jane one day.

"Are you ready?" I questioned Tanya, who was taking deep breaths. "Don't you worry, just act like your usual self, but don't forget that you are currently a princess."

"That is quite arduous, Your Highness," Tanya noted.

"It's not," I argued. "You just have to enjoy and love it. Let us go."

We exited my room, and as we passed, people were already greeting us with knowing smiles.

"Good morning, Princess Isabella." They bowed to Tanya, but inclined their head in my direction.

"I am not the princess, remember?" I asked teasingly. "I am Lady Marie."

"Lady Marie's portrait is hanging there, princess," Jasper, one of the knights, teasingly replied. The fact that 'Marie' was my Grandma's name reminded me that finding suitable names was one of my Achilles heels.

"Oh!" I slapped my forehead. "I forgot about that. I guess it was fate that I chose to be a relative of the king and queen. In that way, Prince Edward might assume that my parents just copied the name of Grandma Marie." They all just laughed loudly.

Tanya and I continued to walk until we were at the visiting hall. Mama and Papa were seated in their thrones, and were waiting for us to arrive. They smiled as we went in.

"Prince Edward will be arriving in a few minutes," Papa spoke in his gruff voice. "I have invited him to the palace for a few days, just as you wished, Isabella." He eyed me speculatively. I nodded my head to assure him that I was still fine about it. "The messenger left in a good mood last night, I believe. What do you think, Harrison?"

Minister Harrison appeared from the corner and nodded his head yes. "In fact, I thought I heard him muttering about an additional income." He chuckled merrily, entertained. "I hate to break our conversation, but I believe Prince Edward has arrived."

The king immediately clapped his hands together, and rubbed it in anticipation of another beau. Mama straightened up in her seat, an excited smile on her face as she arranged her crown. She turned her head in my direction, and gave me a wink. I grinned. The prime minister hurried outside to announce his presence. I finally turned my head to Tanya.

"Relax, all right, and let us move over here." She followed me where I indicated we should stand. From the corner of my eye, I could see some of the helpers looking in this direction from their own works, also anxious. I smiled. "There, now let us start this," I whispered to her.

Not a moment later, I heard Minister Harrison said clearly, in a well-modulated voice, "Your Highnesses, Prince Edward from Chicago." I took one last look at Tanya before facing the doors.

His voice was soon followed by the arrival of a tall and handsome young man. I first noticed his unusual hair. It was a disarray of red and orange wisps that I believe was called bronze. Bronze, I thought. I learned from my Chemistry lessons that the metal bronze was a copper and tin alloy. I snorted softly. Copper and tin alloy...

After finishing my ''assessment'' of the prince's hair, I detected the color of his eyes. Green. It wasn't actually the normal green I was used to – the kingdom was surrounded by humongous tress, so I am sure you got my point – it was some sort of stone, like emeralds, but more spirited, if that were even possible.

I got too caught up by the vigorous glow of his eyes to notice that he was already standing in front of my father. I mentally shook my head, trying to remove my uncanny thoughts. I looked around, and saw Tanya's dreamy look. I also studied everyone's reaction. After observing the whole room, I noticed that every woman was captivated by this young man.

Well, this was unexpected.

"Prince Edward," Papa greeted. "welcome to Washington. I expect you to like your visit here."

Prince Edward bowed to the king and queen. "Of course, sir," came a gentle, pleasing voice.

For a moment, I was curious. To whom did that voice belong to? It was so exquisite; it was like an angel was speaking to me. "I am certain that I will like it here," Prince Edward, the owner of the voice, continued.

I came back to my senses. What was happening to me? I had to see if this was no heir presumptive. I was supposed to get this prince playing under my spell, and not the other way around, right?

My grip around _Pride and Prejudice_ tightened, and I took a deep, calming breath, getting my head back in the game. At that moment, Mama cleared her throat and said confidently, "I would like to introduce to you our precious daughter. Isabella, please step forward."

Prince Edward turned his attention to Tanya and me. I had to look away – avoiding his hypnotic eyes – and try to recite the theories created by Isaac Newton just to keep me sane. When I realized that Tanya had not moved from her position, I cleared my throat. She turned her head to me, and her eyes were wide and dazzled. I tried to tell her with my eyes what she was supposed to do.

"Oh!" she finally gasped. "How silly of me, my dear cousin." She stressed the word cousin to inform me that she was starting to play her part as she stared knowingly in my eyes.

I decided to play, too. "¡Qué barbaridad!" I exclaimed, laughter taking its residence inside my body because I knew what her reaction would be. She gazed at me with wide eyes, and I could almost hear her saying, "So unfair, Princess, you know I dislike Spanish."

We were brought back to the real situation by someone clearing his throat. I looked up, and caught Papa's eyes. "I apologize, Fa–" I stopped, and bit my lip. "I mean, King Charleston." Blood rushed to my cheeks as I realized how horrifying our childish act was, and my mistake. Truly awful.

Tanya finally stepped forward, and cleared her throat before saying. "I am Princess Isabella." She bowed slightly.

Prince Edward walked in our direction. He stopped a few feet from Tanya and bowed. Maybe it was because I was looking at him so vividly that I saw how his viridian eyes flickered over mine, a hint of disappointment in them. I pondered why he did so.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, dear princess," he told Tanya. When he stood up, he took one of her hands, and kissed the back of it. I saw Tanya's wide eyes before she composed herself.

I was mentally noting his gentlemanliness. Most princes forgot that one. I remembered Michael, and how I walked out on our first meeting. I mean, who wouldn't be irritated when a man looks at your body up and down, a lewd smile plastered on his face?

I was distracted by the prince's voice asking, "Who is this lovely lady, Princess Isabella?" He looked right into my eyes, and I couldn't help but get lost in the depths of his eyes.

"Oh, this is Lady Marie. She is my cousin, and she has lived here in the castle since she was five."

"Yes," Mama interceded. "Marie has been living with us, and she is like a daughter to me and Charleston, right, darling?" She turned to Papa with a smile. He responded by chuckling and nodding his head.

I smiled at my parents before becoming aware of Prince Edward's advance. I immediately bowed, surprised as to why he wanted to speak to me. "It was pleasant meeting you, Lady Marie." He bowed as well. He reached for my hand, only to stop a few inches from it. "_Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen?" he asked.

"Yes, it is one of my favorites," I replied, astounded. He read books? Utterly amazing. And shocking. He smiled, an uneven smile that I guessed only he could pull off. He took the hand that wasn't holding my book, and kissed it, too.

"Shall we eat breakfast? I assumed you haven't eaten yet, Prince Edward," Mama said queerly. I couldn't blame her; I was often surprised, and to think it was because of a man...

"If it weren't a trouble for you, Your Highnesses."

"It is not!" Mama replied. "Come now." She stood up, and walked over to our little group. Papa waved for us to go ahead. Mama led the way, not before giving me another wink. I chuckled to myself. I linked my arm with Tanya, and she smiled politely. We walked arm by arm, following Mama and Prince Edward.

Mama became the tourist guide, pointing at and giving descriptions of different family heirlooms. I watched him the whole time, assessing his reaction. He had a polite smile on his exceptional face, but in his eyes, I saw a hint of sadness radiating off it. _Huh, why is that so?_ I thought, purely bewildered.

We were a few steps from the palace's dining area when Peter, a seven-year old lad who helped in tending the horses, came running around the corner with tears running down his face.

"Princess Isabella!" He called out as he saw us. He was looking miserably in my eyes. I nudged Tanya and whispered, "Answer him, and remind him of the deal. Hurry!"

"Yes, Peter?" Tanya asked. Peter now stood a few paces before us. He looked at Tanya, confused, before his eyes landed on Prince Edward, and comprehension flashed across his young face. He immediately bowed.

"I ask for forgiveness, Your Highnesses," he said apologetically.

"That's all right, Peter," Mama replied gently. "Pray, what is the problem?"

He seemed to recall the reason for his tears, and he looked up, and gazed into my eyes. "I would like to ask Lady Marie if she would please come with me." His hazel eyes glimmered with helplessness. I could feel my heart sinking.

I'd known this boy since he was three. His mother, Charlotte, was one of the best cooks here in the palace. I told him to treat me like his older sister when he first came to the castle, and he smiled brightly at me. He would always approach me if he had some problems, and I would happily oblige.

I knelt in front of him and questioned him kindly, "What is the matter, Peter?"

He sniffed. "It was Mother. She was preparing the morning meal for Your Highnesses when suddenly, her head ached. She is now resting at the cook's quarters, but I am still worried, Your Lady." He added the last part to show his cooperation, even though his mother was ill. I felt my heart swell by this boy's propriety.

"Come, Peter, let us see your mother," I told him firmly. I stood up and took the young boy's hand. He smiled up at me gratefully. I smiled back.

I looked at my other company. "I apologize, but I must leave for a while. I have to tend to his mother." I gave Peter another kind smile.

"How will you do that?" Prince Edward suddenly asked. His voice was filled with curiosity.

I huffed. Did he think that a woman couldn't cure an ill person? "For your information, I studied Medicine, and just got my license last week!"

He stared at me in disbelief, which slowly turned to amazement. I couldn't stand talking to him any longer. I bowed to Mama and Tanya and left with Peter following me.

I walked swiftly, and reached the quarters in no time. Charlotte lay weak and cold on her cot. Rosaline was looking worriedly at Charlotte's shivering form.

"Rosaline," I acknowledged. She bowed slightly. "What happened to her?"

"Well." She sighed. "Her temperature continues to escalate. I think she has a high fever, Your Grace."

"Hmm." I checked her temperature by placing the back of my hand over her neck. "It's true that her temperature is above normal," I muttered.

At that moment, Charlotte stirred. She opened her eyes, and smiled up at me ruefully. "I would like to apologize, Your Highness," she whispered hoarsely. "You are busy with your plan yet here you are, looking over a commoner like me."

"Charlotte," I argued. "Please don't say things like that. It's my pleasure to help. Wait, I shall examine you more."

After my analysis, I told them what Charlotte had. "She got the chills. I suggest that she should rest today, and do keep her warm. Rosaline, please help Peter with everything. All three of you are excused for the day," I told them, standing up.

"I shall do that, Your Grace," Rosaline said, smiling.

"Thank you, Princess, you really are the most astonishing person in the world," Peter complimented. I grinned, and reached over to tousle his black hair.

"That's an overstatement, my dear boy. Now I shall leave." I turned for the door, when Rosaline's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Your Highness, there's nobody in the kitchen right at this moment. Who will serve the meals?" she asked nervously.

An idea struck me. "Don't you worry, I have another plan. Now, please do what I told you." I left the room without another word, and made my way over the kitchen.

I looked around the large warm room, taking in the sound of the cackling fire at the furnace and the smell of unfinished broth in the black pot. I grabbed the apron and wrapped it around my torso, and then I went to stand behind the counter where the vegetables were left unattended. I peered over the broth, trying to figure out what dish they were trying to create. After that, I started my work.

I learned how to cook when I was nine, when I had found my father staring sadly at the window, miserably missing my mother and her dishes. Even I was missing her and her delicious creations. So, I had decided to ask Charlotte how to cook. She was reluctant at first, but when I had told her the reason, she finally gave up and agreed to help me.

Papa wasn't that angry when he found out I had cooked. I had let him taste the food I cooked. I remembered how anxious I felt, and how that feeling dissolved when Papa had smiled brightly.

"It is just like your Mother's," he had said, and I couldn't stop the grin that took over my face. I found at that time my passion for cooking.

I hummed tunelessly as I chopped and sliced, feeling relaxed as I heard the familiar sound of boiling water. It had been quite a while since I had cooked. My mind went back to the reason why I was cooking, and I felt worry fill my body. It was a good thing Peter consulted me, and it was also good that I knew how to treat Charlotte.

I recalled how Prince Edward thought I didn't have the knowledge to cure someone. Did he think of women that lowly? My eyes landed on _Pride and Prejudice_, and I wondered if he was like that Mr. Darcy. Did he think that _just_ because I was a woman, I could not learn the things that only men can do?

I huffed as I continued my cooking. If so, he was wrong. Very wrong.

...

I placed everything on the silver tray, careful not to spill its contents. I smiled, triumphant, as I lifted the tray and went to the dining room where everyone was waiting.

I kept a straight face when I entered the room. Their conversation stopped when they saw me enter. I saw Mama's astonished face and Tanya's guilty one. This was the first time that Mama knew of my cooking abilities, anyway, and Tanya was probably guilty because for letting me work alone. When I caught her eye, I gave her a reassuring smile.

"I am sorry if I took too long preparing this. I had to continue Charlotte's work," I explained quietly, setting a chinaware filled with the morning's course carefully in front of Mama.

"It's all right, Marie," Mama said softly. I looked into her shining eyes, and I remembered; this was the first time she was going to taste what I cooked. I smiled nervously. I set another one in front of Tanya.

"So sorry, Princess," she whispered to me. I just gave her hand a pat, trying to tell her to forget it. Then, I reached where Prince Edward was sitting quietly, observing the scene without talking. I kept a smooth face as I placed the plate in front of him.

He looked up at me, and his eyes were indecipherable. I met his eyes evenly, and eventually had to clear my throat awkwardly and break our gaze.

"Aren't you joining us, Miss?" he asked.

"I shall later," I told him curtly.

He stared at me questioningly, but I just ignored him. Finally, he turned towards his food. I sighed and straightened up, backing against the wall to play my part.

"This is remarkable!" Mama suddenly exclaimed. She already tasted, and she had a proud smile on her face. I smiled timidly.

"Yes, it sure is," Prince Edward agreed. I looked in his direction. What is he planning? I thought. "Demeter's creations were mixed perfectly to create this wondrous meal. Well done, Lady Marie." He smiled at me, and I had to look away before something critical happened.

They finished their meals quietly while I waited silently in the background. I observed the prince, as usual, and he seemed to be telling the truth when he ate rather eagerly. I couldn't help but smile.

"Would you like to visit the garden? I assure you that it is quite marvelous out there. Isabella personally planted some of the flowers. Am I right, dear?" Mama's eyes flickered to mine briefly before resting it on Tanya's. She almost forgot that we were pretending.

"Oh, yes, Mother," Tanya answered quickly. "Would you like to go there, Prince Edward?" she asked the prince.

"Oh, sure," Prince Edward agreed, a bit sour.

"Hmm, would you like to go, Marie?" Mama inquired, turning her head to me. She mouthed that I should go and observe.

"That would be a good idea, Your Grace," I retorted. "But I shall return the chinaware back to the kitchen first."

"We shall go ahead then," Tanya suggested. She stood up and invited a not so enthusiastic Prince Edward. They both retreated to the gardens, while I just shrugged my shoulders and moved toward the table to clean it.

"Let me help you, Isabella," Mama offered. Without waiting for my answer, she proceeded to pick up the cutlery and chinaware. "You did very well, my daughter. I am so proud at your work. Did you know that after you leave us earlier; Prince Edward had been silent, staring at the direction where you left? I think he is falling for you!"

"I do not know, Mama," I said uncertainly. "But I am sure that he has to do something better if he doesn't want to be the next meal of my friend, the crocodiles," I said with a straight face.

"Isabella!" Mama admonished as I laughed.

"I was just teasing, do not worry," I assured her, a smile still on my face.

"Oh, you silly child!" She laughed lightly. "Anyway, just leave the dishes at the kitchen. I shall call someone to clean those later; you have to go on with your plan."

"All right, Mama." I did as I was told. I carried the plates with my mother's help – she was obstinate on helping me – to the kitchen. After that, Mama asked to leave the room and to go find Papa.

"Oh all right," I told her. "I shall see you at lunch, then?"

She nodded her head distractedly, and was about to leave when she seemed to remember something. "Oh, and Isabella, do not fret about making lunch. I will also ask someone to do that. Adieu, darling," she said, blowing me a kiss. I waved her goodbye.

I turned to the sink and washed my face. The cold water was refreshing, and immediately alerted my senses. I grabbed a clean towel and dried my face with it. Feeling that I was ready, I grabbed my book back from the counter and went to the garden.

I arrived at the garden's entrance in no time. I bathed in the morning rays from the world-candle. I greeted Benjamin, the palace's gardener. He was also familiar in everything that was related to earth, water, fire, and wind. In short, he was a nature-lover.

"Princess!" he cheered. He was always happy when I visited the garden.

"Shhh, Benjamin, be quiet. It's Lady Marie," I reminded him in a hushed tone.

"Oh, I apologize, Lady Marie," he corrected. "The prince is there with Tanya."

I nodded. "Thank you, Benjamin."

He grinned. "You're welcome, Your Grace. Oh, I would like you to have this." He handed me a stem of several white bell-shaped flowers.

"What is it?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"It is a Convallaria majalis, also known as the lily of the valley. I secretly cultivated this so I could surprise you, Your Grace," he admitted shyly.

"Why thank you, Benjamin, I have to admit that I am surprised." I laughed jubilantly. "Oh, this is so wonderful. Do you still have more of this?"

He nodded, clearly happy with my reaction. "Yes, Princess. I would like to show it to you, but I have to meet with Tia, that is, if you don't mind?" he asked hesitantly.

I nodded. "You know I don't. Go on, your lady needs you," I teased him. He just laughed, and jogged to the direction of the stables. Tia was my mentor in horseback riding. She was very good, and I quickly hired her when nobody in town wanted to. Just because she was a girl... I shook off my angry thoughts. Well, during her stay, she and Benjamin got along greatly and soon became lovers, which I wholeheartedly supported.

I slowly made my way to the garden. At the bench, Tanya and Prince Edward were seated, conversing quietly. I hugged the magnificent flower to my chest as I approached them.

"Dear cousin," I acknowledged Tanya's presence. "Prince Edward," I also acknowledged the prince.

"Marie," Tanya greeted with a smile. "You just came at the right moment. Please be Prince Edward's company for a while. I need to use the bathroom. Excuse me?" she said, quickly jumping up and walking to the palace. I just looked disbelievingly at her retreating form.

"Would you like to sit, Lady Marie?" Prince Edward asked softly. I looked at him, and he had that lopsided smile on his face. I quickly looked away.

"I'd rather, uh, check the, uhm... lilies! Yes, the lilies. Excuse me." What was wrong with me? Just because of that foolish grin of his... I swiftly sauntered over to the lilies. Of course, because of my distractedness, I didn't see the stone that lay innocently – ready for its victims, in my opinion – on the ground. With that, I stumbled.

I yelped and closed my eyes, preparing myself for the impact. I waited, but it never came. Curiously, I opened my eyes to find myself in the arms of Prince Edward. Shocked, I waited for him to release me. But he never did. So, I had to disengage myself.

"I am sorry for the trouble, Prince Edward," I mumbled. Never in my life had I been more embarrassed than I was at that moment. My cheeks burned, and I was sure I was as red as a tomato.

He smiled, though his eyes were troubled. "You should be more careful, Lady Marie." He hesitated. "Were you not going to protect yourself?"

I stared at him, bewildered. He gestured for the flower and book I held tightly in my arms. "Oh, these things?" I pulled the book and flower away from my chest "This flower was from Benjamin. He is the gardener here in the palace. He said this is called the lily of the valley. They are pretty, aren't they?" I smiled at the white flower.

"This Benjamin," Prince Edward started cautiously. "Is he a lover of yours?"

Upon hearing those words, my eyes bugged out of their sockets, and I looked at his sudden timid face. "Of course not! He is with Tia, the horseback riding teacher of Princess Isabella."

His eyes brightened at my words, and then he asked startlingly, "Princess Isabella rides horses?"

I nodded mutely, and the impulse to leave him flared strongly in my body. "I should really get to those lilies first."

"Can I come with you, then, if you are really that willing to see these intriguing lilies?" He chuckled lowly.

I hesitated. I should agree to his request if I wanted to know him better, so I could see something new in him, right? I should disregard such frivolous impulses, like leaving him. I finally agreed. He walked with a grin beside me, and I led him to the direction of the lilies.

"The gardens here in the palace," I started, "are all taken care of by Benjamin, together with the princess and the queen. Of course, you have heard how adventurous the queen is?" He nodded. I continued. "Every kind of herb and plant species you can think of can be found here. With Benjamin's knowledge, we are able to keep flowers that cannot survive the cold weather here in the kingdom."

"Yes, I have heard that it always rains here in your kingdom," Prince Edward inserted. I gave a small smile as I looked straight ahead.

"Yes, and then some crops like these carrots are given to the people who need it. Here we are." We finally reached the lilies, which were located at the rear area of the orchard. Prince Edward was staring amazingly at the flowerbed.

"I have never seen so many wondrous plants in my entire life," he thought out loud, awed. "Are those freesias?" He pointed to the lavender-colored flowers on the right corner.

"Yes," I replied, surprised. "You know horticulture?"

"Not really," he admitted sheepishly. "My mother has a small patch at the back part of the castle where she keeps freesia and lavender; that is why I am a bit familiar with some."

"Interesting," I said slowly and naturally, though inside I was deeply astounded. Who expected him to know some things about flowers?

I observed the lilies that I had been taking care of since the end of winter. I grabbed a water can and started sprinkling the plants.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked softly.

"Hmm? Oh, that's all right. I can do this all by myself."

"Can I take your things instead?"

I looked up at him, and his eyes pleaded that I would at least let him do something. I finally gave up. Handing him the book and the flower, I turned around and watered the flowers.

I hummed tunelessly as I watered the thirsty-looking flowers, aware that Prince Edward was watching me, and also wondering why.

I knew that I had to protect the kingdom, and not let any incompetent man rule it. I wasn't really a vindictive person, but I had no choice; I chose to pursue this plan. This was for the sake of everybody. I was born to fight for my people and to serve them. I had no complaints about it since I understood that it was my destiny, what God gave me to do.

So how come I suddenly had these feelings of curiosity, amazement and wonder? How did this prince bring out these feelings that failed to show when a suitor, a stranger, came into the palace? I had no answers for them, but I was sure about one thing. I wanted to know everything about Prince Edward. Not because of my plan, but because I was horribly and undeniably curious.

I wanted to know why he acted the way he did; why he seemed to appear different than any other man. Was he really different? Was he the one I was waiting for, the one I was looking after all this time? Like what my destiny said, I had to think of my people first, though deep inside, I was also waiting for someone who will capture my heart; I didn't think I could stay stoic any longer. Only a few people knew the real me. I wanted to find someone whom I could talk to freely, someone whom I could share my opinions with, someone who would cherish me, and someone who would see me as me...

"Did you know that Jane Austen is a relative of mine?" Prince Edward suddenly announced, interrupting my musings. Because of his sudden admission, the words hadn't sunk until a few seconds later.

I whipped my head, only to find him reading the front cover of Pride and Prejudice. "What?" I asked disbelievingly. "You are just bluffing, Prince Edward."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"What makes you think so, Miss?" he challenged. I tried to think of an answer, but I couldn't; I couldn't believe that for once, I was speechless. He smirked. "That's what I thought. Sometimes, you have to know someone before judging them."

Know someone, I repeated in my head. It looked like he could read my mind! Well, if this was what I had to do, so be it.

"Then, do tell me about yourself, Prince Edward."

...

I spent a long time in the garden talking to Prince Edward. He told me about Jane Austen, his childhood, and also his parents. When it was my turn to share my story, I had to be sly. I tried to invent stories as close to the truth as possible, since he was ever so truthful when talking to me – I could see it in his verdant gaze. We were still the only visitors in the garden, and we had walked back to the bench to continue our conversation. So, I was surprised when something tapped my shoulder from behind.

I looked up, only to find Tanya smiling knowingly. Oh dear, I forgot about her. Wait a minute. I was talking to the prince for almost an hour, if I was correct, and she only appeared now? It seemed like she planned it...

"Oh, I am sorry, Princess," I told Tanya, quickly standing up to offer her the seat.

"No, that is fine. Mother would just like to say that lunch is ready," she said simply, sneaking a glance in my way.

"Oh, is it that late?" I asked, shocked. I didn't realize how much time had passed.

"Let us go, then," Prince Edward offered. Tanya and I both agreed, and we all went back to the palace.

In the hallway, I saw Peter carrying a basin and a towel. He greeted us cheerfully when we passed.

"How is Charlotte?" I inquired. I bent forward so I that I could talk to him evenly.

His eyes twinkled. "She is better than fine, Lady Marie. I couldn't thank you enough. Oh, thank you, Miss!" Then, he dropped the empty basin, threw his small arms around my neck and started sobbing. I was surprised, but instead of letting him go, I hugged him tighter. This was the first time he hugged me. I treated him as my brother when I first saw him, but when he hugged me, I finally knew what it felt like to have a brother.

"Anytime, Peter. You know I would never let anything happen to you and your mother. You're family," I whispered softly to him.

"Thank you, Princess. I don't know what would happen if we didn't have you. You are the best," he replied in my ear, still crying. His mother's condition really scared the poor boy.

I pulled away slightly. "You should not cry, Peter." I wiped his tears with my free hand. "That's not very healthy. Now, you should go to your mother and remember to keep her warm," I reminded him. He sniffed and nodded. He picked up the basin and the towel, and went to his mother's quarters. Before he turned around the corner though, he said, "He would be blind if he doesn't see how good you are, Lady Marie." With a wink, he was gone.

My mouth dropped open, and I quickly shut it. I stood up and looked at Tanya and Prince Edward. "That boy is like my brother already," I explained to the prince, who was looking kind of disappointed. "Let us go now," I urged them. Tanya nodded and walked off, but not before throwing a wink at me. I scoffed. Why was everyone winking at me today? I followed Tanya while Prince Edward walked beside me.

"I didn't know someone was courting you, Lady Marie," Prince Edward said lowly, though I could hear accusation in his soft voice.

"No one is," I defended myself. "That boy was merely lying. He was just mocking me."

He didn't reply. We soon arrived at the dining hall, and Papa was finally present. We all took our seats and ate our food. I forgot that I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast. As a result, I took a greater portion than I usually did. I made an effort to maintain formality, but it was useless.

"Slow down, Marie." Mama laughed, and the rest of the people in the table followed. "Oh yes, I forgot how you missed breakfast. Sorry, dear," she apologized. I swallowed before I answered her.

"It's not a problem, Your Highness." I grabbed a napkin and wiped my mouth with it before looking back down to my own food.

"I learned from Lady Marie that you ride horses, Princess Isabella," Prince Edward said calmly. I looked at him, and he was chuckling; he was probably not yet recovering to my eating episode. I glared at him once. Unfortunately, he saw it and smiled at me in apology.

"Um, yes, I do," Tanya replied nervously. She couldn't deny it for everyone in town knew how well I rode horses; if the prince happened to overhear it from someone outside the palace, it would be over. Tanya was an amateur when it came to horseback riding.

"Can we ride later? I also ride horses. May we, Your Highnesses?" he pleaded to the king and queen.

Papa coughed and looked at Mama. She just sighed and replied, "Of course, you three can."

"Lady Marie knows how to ride, too?" he asked in surprise. Mama just nodded from behind her wine glass.

Papa and Mama only asked the prince about some things, and after eating, they excused themselves. Now, we were left with nothing to do but to go to the stables.

I could almost feel Tanya's nervousness rolling off her as we walked. From her strawberry blonde hair to her feet, she was trembling. I went to her side.

"Tanya, you should be fine. Tia will help you," I assured her. She didn't make a reply. I continued walking with Tanya and Edward a few steps behind.

We finally arrived at the stables. I scanned the area for Tia, but she was nowhere to be found. Then, I remembered. She was with Benjamin. Oh, dear...

I looked at my two companions. "It looks like Tia isn't around, but I know my way around the area."

"Then, we can do this," Prince Edward replied. "Isn't this thrilling?" he asked to no one in particular. I could see the excitement in his eyes. He walked until he was at the horses' shed.

"Princess," Tanya whispered nervously. I looked at her. "I don't think I can do this."

"You can, and I shall guide you. We shall share the same horse, is that all right?"

She just nodded. She followed me as I went to stand next to my horse, Persephone.

Persephone neighed when I approached. With her intelligence, she could quickly recognize her owner. I smiled softly at her.

"Hello, Persephone, how are you?" I asked her, reaching forward to touch her nose. She just snorted and nuzzled against my hand. At that moment, I heard someone shouting, a horse neighing and a terrified scream. I looked behind me and saw Tanya clinging tightly to Cadmium, my black horse, for dear life. Cadmium was running in the direction of the woods.

I cursed softly under my breath and looked at a very shocked Prince Edward. "What did you do?" I asked; at the same time, I began untangling Persephone's ropes.

"I thought she knew how to ride horses?" he asked in bewilderment. I didn't answer him. Instead, I climbed until I was saddling Persephone.

"Come on, Persephone!" I commanded. My horse quickly darted in the direction I was leading.

"Princess Isabella!" I shouted for the prince's benefit. Tanya seemed to get used to the acknowledgement, and she opened her eyes, but didn't loosen her hold of the horse. "You have to pull the reigns tighter in order to stop Cadmium. He is a pretty stubborn horse!" I heard another set of horse's hooves from behind. I didn't have to turn my head to know it was Prince Edward.

"I can't do it. It is running too fast for my liking. Ahh!" she shrieked.

"Princess, you have to make an effort to at least jump from that horse to the horse I am riding," Prince Edward suddenly interrupted. "You have to hurry," he urged. Inch by inch, he approached Tanya and the horse.

For a moment, I was confused why he would ask the terrified girl such a shocking act. But when I looked forward, my confusion vanished. Tanya decided to also look forward, and her eyes widen in horror. She and Cadmium were heading straight ahead on to a humongous tree.

Almost instinctively, she dexterously jumped to the back of Prince Edward's horse without another word. The prince maneuvered the horse around, back to the castle, while I darted forward to try and calm the speeding horse.

With the help of Persephone, I managed to pull Cadmium's reigns to the other direction. When we were on a plain, I neared Cadmium until I could hop onto his back.

"Come on, Cadmium, don't be like that," I murmured as I pulled his reigns as tight as I could. The horse whinnied and raised his two forelegs. I held onto the reigns as it did so. "Good boy," I said with a smile, smoothing his fur near its nose. Cadmium snorted in response. Persephone cantered to us and nudged my face with her nose. I just chuckled at her.

"I am fine, Persephone. You did great," I told her sincerely, and turned to the horse I was riding. "And you, Cadmium, you have to apologize to Ms. Tanya soon. You scared her silly," I muttered.

The sound of horse hooves made me aware of someone approaching. I made Cadmium turn back and wasn't surprised to find Prince Edward on another horse.

"Rule number one in the palace's stables," I started, instructing Cadmium to move; Persephone followed silently behind us. "Never underestimate the horses. Take Cadmium for example. He looks innocent, right? But he's the naughtiest among the bunch."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I never knew that. Besides, Princess Isabella didn't object when I pulled her to that horse, so I thought it was hers."

"Well, now you know that the horse isn't," I told him nonchalantly.

"Hiya!" I screamed. Cadmium ran swiftly, like a moment ago. Even though Cadmium was sometimes a nuisance, he was the fastest horse in the land. Persephone followed, too, and so did the prince.

Tanya wasn't around when I got back to the stables. Maybe she was going to arrange herself. I directed the horse back to their stations, and left the area with the prince trailing behind me.

"How did you tame that horse?" he inquired suddenly. I looked back at him for a second – his eyes were genuinely curious and amazed – before walking once more. First, I was starting to like him, and now, I was angry with him? I must be too emotional today.

"Wait!" he exclaimed.

I glared at him. "You know, next time, you must really wait for the instructions before doing something... idiotic like what happened earlier. Anyone could've been hurt." He was staring at me with a surprised face. "I don't care if you're a prince; I don't care if you have shining emerald eyes; I don't care if your hair is a tin and copper alloy, I don–" He interrupted me by placing a finger over my lips. I continued to glare at him.

He seemed somewhat amused. "Tin and copper alloy? Really, is that the color of my hair?"

I blushed slightly. Oh, did I really say that? He sensed my uneasiness, and chuckled softly.

"You are an interesting woman, Lady Marie." He placed his hand on my shoulder and left. I just stood there, frozen on the spot. The queer mixture of emotions was surging in my body once again. The only thing my mind could comprehend was the tingling sensation his touch had created.

...

Two days passed. After the horse incident, nothing much like that happened. We had visited the library the next day. Again, I was surprised at the amount of knowledge the prince held.

Also, ever since my last outburst at him, and his caress, I had grown silent when he was around. I decided to keep a professional attitude. But it was hard, especially in the library where we talked about books for hours and hours. We even discussed the Bermuda Triangle when we passed the history section of the library.

We visited the pavilion and the other parts of the castle yesterday. Mama became the tour guide once more, and Charlotte was finally better, so she cooked our evening meal. My two days were perfect and indifferent.

Today, I found myself reading _Sense and Sensibility_ in my original room, since I excused myself when Tanya and Prince Edward visited the gardens. According to Papa, Prince Edward would leave tomorrow, and I felt myself saddened by the realization. I had almost forgotten about the horse incident–which really sparked my anger–and he seemed to be a good man. I had to make a verdict about him soon. But I was still undecided.

It was almost sunset and the sky was beginning to darken, despite the sun being there still. Allison also predicted that there would be rainfall tonight, which was why Tanya and the prince visited the garden–to savor the last of the sunrays. Papa and Mama went to the plaza to check if the people were still doing well. I cleared my throat, trying to recover my voice.

I stood up, carrying the book with me, and exited my room. I decided to take a shortcut. Instead of going past my parents' bedchamber all the way down to the main stairwell, I could use door that opened up to a narrow staircase and lead to the left side of the main door, only a few steps away from the kitchen.

Finally, I reached the first floor. Nobody was around at this moment. I walked to the kitchen in silence. That was when I heard two male arguing voices from the visiting hall.

"Have you forgotten what your parents told you to do, sire?" A man asked in a hushed voice.

"Of course not!" Prince Edward replied. I tiptoed silently, until my left ear was pressed against the small gap on the door. I peeked in and found a man a foot shorter than the prince. He looked to be the same age as I was. He had his back on to me while Prince Edward was facing me. They were both unaware of my presence.

"Then do it, Prince Edward. Your parents will be very upset if they find out about this. Your kingdom will suffer because of those... illegal feelings of yours," the man said furiously, though he was trying to lower his voice.

"I still can't believe what I have gotten myself into." Prince Edward looked tired for the first time. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, and breathed a deep sigh.

"You better marry Princess Isabella, Your Highness," the man told him in a calmer tone. "So your kingdom will not suffer," he repeated. My heart froze as I finally realized what they were talking about. I was right all along. Prince Edward was just like the rest of them. He was planning to use the kingdom's money. But the most painful of it all was that he was going to use me.

And I thought he was the one I was looking for.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I covered my mouth with my hands to try and stifle my sobs. I absolutely forgot my book, so it dropped with a thud on the ground before I could even catch it. The men inside the room immediately looked into my direction, and I saw Prince Edward's eyes widen when he saw me. I quickly picked up my book and ran back to the shortcut.

I quickly went to my original room. I went here in order for him not to find me. But my luck apparently ran out. Knocks rang through the door, making my eyes widen in surprise.

"Lady Marie, I know you're in there." He sighed. "Can you please open the door? I would like to speak to you."

If he was trying to cover up his lie, he would have to think again. I stood up and opened the door.

"There is nothing we should speak about." My voice was filled with distaste. "I thought you really came here with pure intentions. I guess I was wrong to assume that. I will inform the king and queen of this. I guess you do not know how the princess hates people like you. You disgust me," I spat at him.

He flinched at my words and looked at me with agonized eyes. "Please hear me out, Lady Marie."

In response, I reached for the door. He knew what I was about to do. He swiftly came inside and locked the door before I could even do anything.

"Listen to me first, please," he pleaded.

I shook my head, tears suddenly running down my cheeks. "Lies," I muttered. "You are about to say lies. More lies."

He looked up in frustration then he looked into my eyes fiercely. I suddenly became terrified. "Is it a lie if I tell you I had no choice but to follow my parents when they told me how people in our kingdom were starting to suffer? Is it a lie if I tell you that I tried to convince myself that I could like the princess, given the amount of praise I have heard of her, when I met her? Is it a lie if I tell you that you, yes, you" – he said, as my eyes grew wide in surprise at the mention of myself– "stunned me with your elegance when I first came here three days ago? Is it a lie if I tell you the convincing I did before was fruitless?" He took a step closer to me and brought out one of his hands to cup my cheek. "Is it a lie if I tell you that I have fallen in love with you?" He finished the last sentence softly.

His sudden admission prohibited me from forming a coherent thought in my head. Something swirled in my heart, and I couldn't quite figure out what it was. He continued, still staring into my eyes, "The messenger from my kingdom came to visit me earlier, and I couldn't help but admit to him what I was feeling. I am torn, Lady Marie. I do not want my kingdom to suffer." His face darkened for a second. "But I can't stop what I am feeling right now. That first time I saw you in the visiting hall, I had wished with all my might that you'd be the princess. I was disappointed to hear that you weren't, though. And as I got to know you that day, I had felt something unsettling at the pit of my stomach; it was the same queasiness when I am with you, Lady Marie. With a jolt, I realized, when I saw you helping Peter's mother, when you cooked that day's lunch, when you watered those flowers, when you tamed that horse, Cadmium, when you shared some knowledge about books with me the other day, and when I observed you as we ventured the palace, that I am attracted to you, Lady Marie. And earlier when I saw you crying" – he reached to wipe the tear stains with his other hand – "the sadness, the pain I felt is undeniable. I now know how much power you hold over me. I am no longer in control of myself. My life, my lady, is yours." His eyes burned with emotion as they bore onto mine.

The unusual feeling that I'd been having since I first laid my eyes on his visage came into my body full force and I thought I was going to stumble with the intensity. The feeling I was trying to deny whenever I was around him resurfaced, and I didn't do anything to stop it. I felt my heart expand when I heard his declaration. I had never felt more... euphoric in my life than that moment. I was lying to myself all along; I was also falling for this prince.

That was when distrust hit me, almost as fast as the jubilant sensation, and it quickly extinguished my happiness. I pulled myself away from his touch. A look of hurt passed his features. What if he was just saying this so I wouldn't tell my parents about what I had heard? _He could be lying_, I thought darkly, fighting what my heart was telling me. The sincerity in his eyes that I'd grown used to was so hard to doubt that I had to look away.

"How can I know that you're not saying all of this just so you can escape the trouble you are currently in? I have already met so many people with that way of deceiving others," I warned him, bitterly remembering what happened with Prince Jacoby.

He sighed, torn. "You lost your faith in me. And I deceived myself into thinking that you might understand me when I told you the truth. You surprise me with your vigilance." He murmured the last part, but I could still hear it. He looked into my wary eyes for a moment, before his own eyes widened with an idea.

"Lady Marie," he said softly, a small smile grazing his lips. "You are a very intelligent woman. I believe you know how far we are from the ground now?" He looked at me expectantly while I fought being confused at his unexpected question.

"We are five stories from the ground, so I think we are approximately fifty feet above," I replied slowly. He closed his eyes, the smile still on his face. When he opened it again, what came out of his mouth truly horrified me.

"I love you so much that I can prove it to you by jumping off the princess's balcony. I wish that I shall not die; but if I do, please remember, my dear, that I have loved and will always love you. What I am saying is no excuse to save myself from the king and queen's wrath." He looked calmly and deeply into my frozen wide eyes.

"Stop this nonsense, Prince Edward. Come, now. Let's leave the princess's room." I tried to pull him out of the room, but he swiveled past me, meandering to the balcony like he was out of his mind.

I need to stop this foolishness, I told myself fiercely. I appeared to his side in an instant and grabbed his arm. "I said stop, Prince Edward," I repeated, angry.

He looked at me. "You wanted me to prove to you how much I mean what I said. So, here it is." He waved a hand in front of him.

"You are just pretending, Prince Edward. Stop it," I told him, irritated. Why was he making everything so hard?

He didn't listen to anything that I'd said. Instead, he hoisted himself until he was standing at the edge of the ten-inch handrail.

"Oh, dear," I gasped. I pulled his hand, and with the help of gravity, he came stumbling to my side. "Don't you ever do that again!" I was still gasping.

"And why? Why should I not jump? What do you care if I got hurt, or worse, if I die?" he asked skeptically. My heart missed a beat at his words. Deep inside, I knew I didn't want him to get hurt or die. He was just testing me; that was what my mind was telling me earlier. But now, it was getting weaker, so the fear of losing him surged strongly in my body.

I didn't bother answering him. I made him go back to the chamber, and proceeded to lock the doors that led to the balcony. I sighed, not liking feeling confused, and turned around.

Prince Edward was standing only a foot away from me. His face was void of any emotions as he asked quietly, "Why should I not jump, if it is the only way to prove you that I am not lying?" His warm breath tickled my cheeks, and my breath caught in my throat.

My mind would like to say, "Well, because it is the most idiotic thing to do." But my heart was pleading me to say, "I love you, too, and I can't let anything happen to you, even if you're probably lying."

He seemed to be hearing what my heart was screaming. "Is it because you feel the same way, too?" His eyes sparkled when a blush appeared, coloring my cheeks and giving me away. Instinctively, I looked away from his stare.

I guessed this was the moment when heart ruled over mind, ignoring what was right or wrong. I decided to tell him everything, my insecurities and all.

"You are right. I also love you," I admitted softly. I looked into his eyes, and saw the happiness radiating off them. "I tried to tune out my feelings, but it was really challenging. I have to put my duties first before doing things for myself." Oh, the verity of my words almost made me smile. "I didn't expect this." I pointed to Prince Edward and myself.

"So do I, Lady Marie," he said with a smile. It had been quite a while since we mentioned any names; that was why I was left befuddled when he called me Lady Marie. Then, I remembered that he thought I was just a mere cousin of the real princess. I didn't know if horror or amazement was the most dominant feeling at that moment. Horror, for I realized I was the one tricking him, and amazement that it was possible for someone to love me for me.

He brought up a hand, and placed it on my cheek. He stared adoringly into my eyes. "You are the most ethereal creature I have ever met. I didn't know my heart was capable of holding this capacity of love until I met you. And to think I have only known you for a few days. It is like magic." He chuckled.

I couldn't help but laugh with him. "Indeed. Oh, I still can't believe what happened between the two of us," I whispered. At the mention of the two of us, he smiled widely. Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, he told me something.

"I wanted to try one thing, and believe me or not, I have been dreaming of this since I met you," he admitted sheepishly. I just smiled at him in encouragement.

Instead of answering, he wrapped one of his hands around my waist. I gasped at the sudden contact, but didn't pull away. He caressed my cheek with the other, and I closed my eyes, sighing at the feeling. He suddenly stopped, and before I could open my eyes and ask what was wrong, I felt his lips, soft and warm, against my own. It would be embarrassing, but I had to admit that it was the first kiss that I shared with a boy.

The kiss was short, but it set my whole body on fire. He didn't abuse the moment by doing something less than innocent, which proved my assessment that he was a noble man. It was just plain sweet, and I loved him more for it.

I opened my eyes. I could see my future solidly now. My life would be forever spent with him by my side. I beamed happily.

He appeared to be reading my thoughts once more. "Come with me tomorrow. We shall go to my kingdom, and I pray my parents would understand me. I want to be with the woman I will always be enamored with now that I have found her." His avocado eyes twinkled.

I tried to keep the smile on my face. Inside, the happiness popped like a balloon, just like what happened earlier. Now, I was the one keeping secrets. How would I tell him that I was the real princess?

I heard the sound of a carriage pulling up outside, breaking me from my reverie. The sun had finally set, and a few drops fell from the sky. Prince Edward looked at me.

"Shall we meet with the king, queen, and princess, and tell them the truth?" he asked. I just nodded my head, waiting for the inevitable to come. He led the way, going to the shortcut, only to give me a kiss similar to what he gave me earlier. I just smiled at his sheepish face.

I heard my parents and Tanya conversing in the throne room, and Prince Edward pulled me in that direction. I tried to think of ways to tell him the truth without hurting his feelings. Unfortunately, I still hadn't thought of any as we entered the room, holding hands, and surprising the people inside.

Papa and Mama shared a knowing look, Minister Harrison tried to hide a smile, and Tanya gave me a wink when I caught her eye. Prince Edward cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"King Charleston and Queen Renée, I have come here to tell you about something," he said politely in his soft, musical voice. He didn't let go of our joined hands.

"What is it?" Papa asked, eyeing our hands.

Prince Edward glanced at me, and answered, "I know I have come here to court the princess, but something else happened. I fell in love with Lady Marie, and I do not want to hurt Princess Isabella's feelings, but I couldn't lie to everyone. We are planning to leave tomorrow, and I would like to ask your permission to take her with me."

Papa realized that I hadn't told the prince of the truth. I opened my mouth to say something when I heard a commotion outside the room.

"You can't go in there," I heard Jasper's voice rang out.

"I just wanted to talk to the princess; let me go!" Cold water seemed to wash down my insides as I realized the owner of the voice. It was Prince Jacoby.

The door blasted open and Prince Jacoby came bursting in, Jasper hot on his heels. Minister Harrison tried to stop him, but he was already walking straight towards me. Oh, no!

He had a bright smile on his face when he saw me, and it fell when his eyes landed on my and Prince Edward's linked hands. He was suddenly upset; his brows pulled together as he walked to my direction.

"Princess Isabella, how are you? It's been a long time. I just came here for a visit. Did you know that because of you, I decided to change my lifestyle? Now, I have a business in the Sahara! Isn't it wonderful?" Prince Jacoby said excitedly, grasping my other free hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Um," I said awkwardly, rapidly pulling my hand away from his. What should I do? Should I lie about my identity? Prince Edward acted before I could.

"What a shame barging in the palace at sun down, and calling this lady the princess. Don't you know that she" –he pointed Tanya, who was looking queasy– "is the princess?" Prince Edward stared at Jacoby in disbelief. _How am I going to fix this mess?_ I thought frantically.

Prince Jacoby blinked, and then gave a boisterous guffaw. "You are joking, Prince..." he trailed off.

"Edward," Prince Edward answered curtly.

"Yes, you are joking. This pretty young woman" –he gestured me with his hand– "is the princess. Princess Isabella is a woman famous for her beauty and brain, all right. Look at this," he instructed, while my heart thudded unevenly, wondering what Prince Jacoby would be doing.

"Did Isaac Newton state that heavy and light objects fall down at the same time, disregarding air resistance?" Before he was even finished, a snort escaped from my nose. I covered my face with my free hand, but almost everyone heard me.

I stared at Jacoby, and saw him smirking. He turned to Tanya. "Now, Princess Isabella," –he made quotation marks in the air as he said my name– "I am sure you knew the answer since everyone knew how you love anything related to Science."

Tanya was busy panicking. She knew it was wrong, based on my former reaction, but she didn't have any idea who the person was. I wanted to scream to her to just guess, since nobody in this room probably knew the answer. Except Prince Jacoby. I almost forgot about him.

"I forgot," she answered unsteadily.

Prince Jacoby grinned and I hated it. "See? That woman doesn't know. How about you?" He turned to me. "Do you know the answer?"

May the scientists forgive me for turning my back on them at this moment. "Um, no, I am sorry, but I-I don't know," I lied weakly.

"You are lying," Prince Jacoby chortled. Oh, you wait; I am going to send you to the Bermuda Triangle after this.

I closed my eyes. "I am not," I said through my teeth.

"You are," came the voice of another person. I looked up and it was Prince Edward. His face was emotionless as he said, "I think you're lying, Lady Marie, please say the truth."

"Lady Marie?" Prince Jacoby laughed. "Who in the world is that?"

I decided to answer before he could find new wounds to pour salt into. "It is wrong. The person is Galileo Galilei and not Isaac Newton." I looked at my feet, avoiding everyone's stares.

I felt Prince Edward's hand slipped from mine, and I almost cried at that moment. I wanted to kill Jacoby at this instant. But then I realized that I couldn't pretend for long, and Prince Edward would soon find out the truth.

Prince Edward's shoes appeared in my line of vision, and a finger was suddenly under my chin, making me look up. "Are you Princess Isabella or not?" Prince Edward asked me in a detached voice.

Unable to pretend anymore, I nodded in defeat. He closed his eyes, and sucked a deep breath. After a few dreadful minutes, he opened his eyes, and his face was remarkably calmer.

"I knew it," he said simply.

My mouth dropped open. "What did you say?"

He chuckled. "I had a feeling you are the princess. Especially on that first day. I caught a few mistakes in your conversation with the king, and everything about you that I heard wasn't in her." He pointed Tanya. "I tried to dislodge the suspicion, and it was quickly replaced by my love for you," he declared quietly. "Though, I am quite disappointed that I have to find out about the truth through that man." He indicated Jacoby next.

"You aren't mad that I was the one deceiving you in the first place?" I inquired in a small voice.

He shook his head. "No, I can't let something that your clever little mind did think of ruin our future."

I jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You are amazing! I am sorry for lying to you, and I love you," I told him earnestly.

"I love you, too." He pressed his lips softly on my own. I heard clapping from behind us, and Tanya cheering.

When I pulled back, I told my parents with a smile, "I do not want to ruin the mood, but could I make one last order as a princess, before I become queen?"

Everyone's reaction was priceless, even Prince Edward. I knew he wasn't asking yet, but I already knew my future, and he was included in it. When he recovered, he wrapped his arms around my waist, and whispered, "My beautiful and wonderful queen."

Papa and Mama couldn't keep the smiles off their faces. Mama came down from her throne and hugged Prince Edward and me.

"I am so proud of the two of you," she gushed, a few tears escaping from her eyes.

Tanya also came to us, and said, "It was a pleasure serving you, Your Highness. You taught me a lot of things, and I didn't expect something like this would happen in my life. You really are something, Princess Isabella."

"Thank you, Tanya. This plan wouldn't be created if it weren't for you."

She smiled in response. "Anyway, princess, what is that last order you wanted?"

"Yes, my dear, what is it?" Papa asked from his throne. He was watching us with a smile on his face.

I turned, and saw Prince Jacoby looking at the other end of the room with a scowl on his face. My fury flared.

"A new execution for Prince Jacoby. I would like to send him to the Bermuda Triangle."

Prince Edward, who knew what it was, laughed joyously. "Love, I know that it is a good idea, but he resolved our problem tonight, remember?"

I was still in his arms, so I twisted my neck to kiss him again. "But Prince Edward, that man was exiled, and wasn't allowed to escape until tomorrow. He forgot that when passing the international dateline, at least a day will change." I laughed. "So as a punishment, I wanted to exile him in the Bermuda Triangle."

"Can I suggest something, Your Grace," Tanya asked.

"Of course."

"Could I just teach him a lesson by letting my father talk to him? After all, he kind of tortured me earlier with that Physics question." She shuddered while I laughed. I liked her suggestion.

"All right, Papa, that is my new order. Let Prince Jacoby 'talk' to Tanya's father," I said in mock seriousness. Only a few knew of this, but Tanya's father was the town's martial arts teacher.

Papa was into it. He gave a chuckle and nodded. Minister Harrison, now with a smile, appeared, and took Jacoby out, followed by Tanya.

"Who is your father?" Prince Jacoby asked uncertainly.

Tanya smirked. "Oh, you'll see, Prince Jacoby. Oh!" she gasped, as she turned to close the door. "I must not say bad words." She winked at me, and closed the wooden door.

I chuckled, and turned to Prince Edward. "I thought this plan was going to fail – another prince shall go home in defeat and all those things, and I not finding the man I love – but then, the princess's plan succeeded."

"Are you happy that it succeeded?" he asked with a crooked smile.

I stared lovingly into his eyes. "Yes, I am."

The End.

**A/N: Like it? Hate it? Love it? I would ****love**** to hear what you think of this. It is stronger than Edward's need to read Bella's thoughts, I assure you... :D**

**Review. Or else... Just kidding. Review. Please.**


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